Restaurant Review: Tandoor

A windy, rainy Saturday night found my husband and I having one of our favourite conversations – where to have dinner? After listing the usual options we found that we were both having a similar craving for Indian food, and so decided to strike out and try something new (Nepal is usually our go-to option). We found Tandoor listed online, and as it’s conveniently located on Lyndhurst Terrace, it sounded like the perfect option… especially as I could argue that it’s just about far enough from our apartment to justify taking a taxi!

Tandoor is on the first floor of Lyndhurst Tower, which is right on the corner of Lyndhurst and Wellington, and you really can’t miss Tandoor because of the neon sign and turban-ed doorman standing outside. Heading up one flight of stairs to the restaurant, you feel like you’ve been transported… right to London! There’s a mainly Western crowd, though some Indian customers also, which we hoped was a good sign. On Saturday nights they have live music on a small raised stage at the front of the room which makes for a great atmosphere. The only downside for us was that in between the performances they would lower a big screen and show live cricket matches with the sound on, which made it feel a bit more like a pub than a restaurant. We ordered a selection of appetizers which were totally delicious, and they provide a little selection of chutneys and raita.

For our main dishes we had a Rogan Josh (lamb curry) and Tikka Paneer (cottage cheese roasted with vegetables with a tikka flavouring), and some rice and peshwari naan bread. Everything was extremely tasty and not greasy at all. They had a small selection of wines by the glass, and a larger selection of beers. They also offered something called a Vodka Red Bull Boat, which sounded a bit scary – probably one for the “lads”!

Overall, Tandoor is a great option if you’re simply craving a yummy curry in pleasant surroundings, with good service. The live music at weekends is a nice touch, and I can imagine if you were to go as a group before a night out it would really hit the spot. It isn’t anything super-exceptional, but we enjoyed ourselves and the bill was reasonable – around $550 for two including one glass of wine.